Looking for some easy and fun camping crafts? We’ve got you covered with these fantastic ideas for arts and crafts projects kids will love and so will you.
We love camping as a family, it’s a great way to rest, recharge and have some fun together as well as encouraging a love of nature. These camping crafts for kids are the perfect way to keep that excitement going and with ideas including making tents, campfires and lanterns there’s plenty to keep the kids busy.
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Camping Crafts for Kids
I think that most parents want to nurture their kids love of the great outdoors and camping is such a fun way to do it, what could be a better way to get close to nature than staying out in it!
Whether you’re camping at home or planning on getting a way for a while it’s great if you can extend their interest with some easy camping crafts.
Today I’m sharing ideas for camping crafts for toddlers right up to ideas for big kids so if you have a mixed age group at home you should be able to find something everyone will enjoy. We love the painted rocks for older kids while the paint splat campfire is perfect for little ones.
Just so you are aware, this is an old post that I’ve updated as we’ve shared more camping arts and crafts ideas. I’m hoping that I’ll continue to update this over the years as we share even more activities.
Our Camping Essentials
We’ve been camping every year with our children since our son was three and our daughter wasn’t quite yet one with trips lasting between one night and three weeks.
Every year I feel like we’ve discovered a couple more things to make life a bit easier and bit more enjoyable – of course camping IS easy and enjoyable but we quickly discovered that camping with kids is a lot different to camping with just adults!
If you are planning on taking a trip this year then my favourite purchase of the last couple of years is a camping toilet because walking across a wet field in the dark at 11pm (and 3am… and 6am) is no one’s friend. We have the most basic ‘bucket with seat’ style one we could find.
We also take lots of games which are good for some quiet time before bed – my kids love uno and Shopping List and for keeping warm if you have an airbed we use space blankets underneath and fleece blankets on top.
Camping Crafts
You’ll find all these great ideas in the order that they appear in the collage below, there’s lots of really fun ideas in this round up so make sure you take a good look through the list! If you’re staying at home we’ve also got lots of camping at home ideas for kids you could check out too!
Love these fun camping ideas? Make sure that you bookmark this page or pin an image so that you have all this great inspiration to hand when you need it.
1. Camping Craft Set
This mini camping set craft from Artsy Craftsy Mom is super sweet and would be great for playing with small toys who fancy a tiny holiday!
2. Make a Toy Teepee
We made a teepee tent for some toys which was the perfect size for Sylvanian Families! You can following the tutorial to make it and there’s a free template to help you too.
You could easily adjust the sizes as well if you wanted to make it for larger toys. My kids really enjoyed decorating the sides of the tent for this and it’s great for some small world play.
3. Toilet Paper Roll Binoculars
Toilet paper roll crafts are always a classic as there’s so many things that you can make out of them, and let’s be honest, it’s a material you’ll have while you’re camping too!
Binoculars are a great way to hunt for birds, minibeasts and clouds when you’re camping and these cardboard tube binoculars from Buggy and Buddy have to be one of the cutest out there with their sweet cloud design.
4. Foil Painted Campfire Craft
Raid your kitchen cupboards for some foil to make this simple campfire craft that’s perfect for younger children.
This one of our most popular camping themed crafts and it’s so much fun to make as well as the big materials meaning its suitable for toddlers and preschoolers too.
5. Make Story Stones
These camping story stones from that we made are great for encouraging some creative writing but they’d also work well just as a fun creative project, particularly if your kids enjoy rock hiding and hunting.
6. Gone Camping Craft
This gorgeous camping craft was created by from Simply Learning Kids,but sadly the site doesn’t seem to be working any more. If I do find it elsewhere then I’ll very happily link to it!
You can personalise this craft by adding a picture of your child and you can either keep it really basic by just having the cut out tent shape with your child inside or you can do as the original has and add some animals, trees and stars.
7. Cupcake Liner Campfire
Everyone has cupcake liners somewhere in the back of a cupboard and this cupcake liner campfire craft from I Heart Crafty Things is the perfect way to use them up.
This creates a really nice craft with a bit of a 3D aspect too and I love the addition of a little marshmallow on a stick.
8. Sponge Painted Campfire Craft
This easy campfire craft is another camping craft that we’ve made and it’s sponge printed flames means that it would be easy enough for young kids to make too.
I also like it because sponges are something that are really easy to get hold of, no need for expensive online orders!
9. Paper Plate Campfire Craft
Grab a paper plate and make this easy paint splat campfire craft for kids.
10. Tin Can Lantern
Lantern crafts are great for camping because they are practical as well as fun to make!
This DIY lantern craft from Kids Craft Room will obviously need both supervision and help from an adult to make it but I think the results are gorgeous and this would be be great for when you’re all out in the evenings.
This camping lantern is a craft that the author made with their eight year old so if you have similar aged kids it might be a good one for you too.
11. Pretend Play Campfire
How cute is this campfire craft from No Time For Flashcards?! It’s perfect for pretend play and a good way to approach talking to your kids about how to be safe around fire too.
12. Doll Campfire
We love any kind of crafts that kids can play with once it’s been created. While crafting doesn’t have to be practical it’s a great way to carry on having a fun time together.
My daughter would love this campfire craft that’s designed for dolls to have their own cookout from There’s Just One Mommy.
13. Glowing Campfire Craft
I love this campfire craft that really glows from Buggy and Buddy. It would be great for some imaginative play or as a craft to make at summer camp.
14. Camping Small World
I love the way The Craft Train uses toys and materials found around their home to create a camping small world. We’re totally here for anything that can repurpose a pair of socks into something the kids can play with!
15. Camping Activity Sheets
Want to keep your kids entertained on your next camping trip? Grab our free camping activity sheets with six pages of activities. These are arguably more of an activity than a craft but they’re great for when you need a break or for something for your kids to do which doesn’t include getting out the glue, paint or scissors.
The sheets include a scavenger hunt and how to draw a bear as well as games and a sheet for recording memories of your trip.
16. Smores Craft
My kids have yet to try smores due to the whole living in the UK issue, they look amazing though and we’ve tried our best with marshmallows and chocolate digestives!
Pre-K pages has some pretend smores that are perfect for dramatic play (or kids like mine that can’t get hold of the real things!)
17. Handprint Campfire
Fun Handprint Art has a super cute handprint campfire craft and a little song to sing while you make it too.
18. Nature Tree Craft
Explore your campsite and look for leaves or flowers which have fallen off the plants so you can make this nature tree craft using our free template and some glue or double sided tape.
19. Make a Bird Feeder
Camping at home? Why not make some DIY birdfeeders together to encourage wildlife to visit your ‘campsite’.
20. Campfire Art for Kids
Pre-K pages shares some campfire process art that’s super easy for kids to make.
21. Bark Owl Craft
Listening out for creatures in the night? These bark owls from Fireflies and Mudpies are a great nature craft to make.
22. Make Friendship Bracelets
Making friendship bracelets is a craft that both of my kids enjoy and they’re pretty simple to make too.
Grab some embroidery thread in your favorite colors to get started. We tend to go for a simple plait design because that’s the easiest but if you fancy more of a challenge or adding beads then go for it!
23. Water Bottle Holder
Not only is this duct tape water bottle holder from There’s Just One Mommy a great camping craft but it’s super practical too as your child can use it to carry their drink around if you go out for a hike.
24. Pine Cone Crafts
These pine cone fireflies from Fireflies and Mudpies are a great way to create a fun craft out of something that you can find on the ground of a campsite or when you are out for a nature walk.
25. Make Nature Bracelets
Making a nature bracelet is a really simple way to create a cute craft and it can be a great way to keep your kids having fun as you explore the outside too.
Simply get a piece or card or cardstock that will fit around your child’s wrist, make a whole with a hole punch at the ends and add some ribbon so that it can be tied up, then stick some double sided tape to the outside of the bracelet.
Your child can now stick things that they find on your adventures to their bracelet – think flowers, leaves, ferns and feathers.
26. Free Camping Templates
Grab our free printable tent template with three different designs and try out some easy tent crafts and our free campfire template and s’mores template or just use them as coloring sheets.
More Crafts for Kids
Want more inspiration? We love this sun craft which is perfect for the summer.
Or for more fun with painted rocks how about these ocean themed story stones.
Finally this frozen flowers sensory play idea is always popular and perfect for keeping the kids entertained on cooler days.
Fantastic idea!! My family lover of traveling and camping. In the winter we spent few days but summer is always great for camping. life is easy and you can enjoy every bit of life.